Home Blog Page 110

How to Unlock Your Android Smartphone with Bluetooth Devices

Google Smart Lock

Smartphones nowadays are equipped with different kinds of biometrics sensors to unlock, like fingerprint and facial recognition. However, requiring users to constantly unlock the phone may sometimes be quite annoying. Fortunately, Google Smart Lock is designed to improve this situation, as long as you have a trusted Bluetooth device in range.



What is Google Smart Lock

It is a built-in feature in Google’s Chrome OS and Android, that automatically locks or unlocks your devices under certain circumstances. It uses various number of methods to determine whether the device is close to you, such as Bluetooth connections, locations, accelerometer and facial/voice recognition.

This How-to article focuses mainly on using the feature with a Bluetooth accessories, which is really simple to set up.

Procedures

Google Smart Lock

First, you have to visit settings and click on the “Security & location”. Then, find the “Smart Lock”. Depending on which Android version you have, the naming of the settings may be slightly different. Or you can just type in “Smart Lock” in the search bar.

Once you are inside the Smart Lock section, you will see five types trusted method to unlock your device. To use a Bluetooth connection as the “key”, you need to choose “Trusted devices”.

The system prompts you to add a trusted device. You can use a Bluetooth headphone/headset, a smartwatch or even a speaker. Please be reminded that Bluetooth connections can have range up to 100 meters, which may impose security risks.

Google Smart Lock

At this point, you have to make sure Bluetooth is turned on and connected to the desire trusted device. Compatible devices will show up on the list, after you click “ADD TRUSTED DEVICE”. Press “YES, ADD” to confirm. The set up process should now be completed and Google Smart Lock is activated.

You can also check which Bluetooth devices are saved and add/remove another devices to the list.

  • Find the “Smart Lock” session in the phone’s settings
  • Click on “Trusted devices”
  • Follow on-screen instructions
  • Add your Bluetooth-enabled devices

Feel free to leave comments below, if you have any opinion about this website. Share the website around if you enjoy reading it. Subscribe to our Newsletter or follow our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Support this website simply by shopping in Amazon. It will give us small kickbacks, if you use the above affiliate links to make any purchases, which will help us grow.

NZXT Now Offers Streaming PC Bundles from BLD

NZXT BLD Streaming PC Bundles
Photo from NZXT

Live streaming has become extremely popular all around the globe, especially in games. People can try live streaming through platforms like Twitch and YouTube, but their computers may not be capable of handling this kind of tasks. Recently, NZXT introduces a couple Streaming PC bundles with essential accessories from its BLD service to help people get started.



There are a PC-only option and two bundles, named Essential Bundle and Premium Bundle. All options consists the same hardware for the computer itself. It will be powered by an Intel 9th Gen i9-9700K processor with 8 cores and 8 threads. It has a base clock speed of 3.6 GHz and can turbo boost up to 4.9 GHz. Paired with the 16 GB DDR4 RGB RAM and 1 TB of fast NVMe SSD is a Z390 motherboard from MSI. The PC is also equipped with the latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 graphics card.

For the Essential Bundle, you will get all the necessary gears to start streaming.

The Premium Bundle upgrades the package with a better microphone, a LED panel, a green screen and a dedicated capture card. The webcam and software stays the same.



The PC alone will cost you $2498.91 USD (MSRP), while the Essential and Premium Bundles at $2697.91 USD (MSRP) and $3597.91 USD (MSRP) respectively. Three PC games will be given for free, including Battlefield V, Anthem and Metro Exodus.

You may be able to build the exact computer and buy identical accessories for cheaper, depending on where and when you purchase them. But the system from NZXT/BLD will be built by experienced builders and backed by a 2-year warranty, as well as technical support in one single place.

Feel free to leave comments below, if you have any opinion about this website. Share the website around if you enjoy reading it. Subscribe to our Newsletter or follow our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Support this website simply by shopping in Amazon. It will give us small kickbacks, if you use the above affiliate links to make any purchases, which will help us grow.

Apple TV 4 Is Now Re-branded to “Apple TV HD”

Apple TV HD
Screen Capture from Apple

On 25 March, Apple announced a bunch of new entertainment services at its event, including Apple Arcade, Apple News+ and Apple Card. Apple is also going to produce original shows, movies and documentaries via Apple TV+, along with the revamped TV app. Maybe to prevent confusion, Apple changes the name of the existing Apple TV 4 to “Apple TV HD”.



Apple TV 4 was released in 2015, which is the 4th generation Apple TV. It is sold alongside with the newer, more expensive Apple TV 4K from 2017. It is capable of streaming content at 1080p, while the Apple TV 4K can stream up to 4K resolution. I guess the updated “Apple TV HD” name makes more sense to help customers to distinguish between the two products.

The hardware specifications of the Apple TV HD stays the same. It is still equipped with an Apple-made A8 SoC, with 32 GB of internal storage. The price remains unchanged at $149 USD, which you will get a Siri Remote, a Lighting to USB cable and a power cord.

Feel free to leave comments below, if you have any opinion about this website. Share the website around if you enjoy reading it. Subscribe to our Newsletter or follow our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Support this website simply by shopping in Amazon. It will give us small kickbacks, if you use the above affiliate links to make any purchases, which will help us grow.

AMD Ryzen 2000 Series CPUs Are Having Massive Discounts on Amazon

AMD Ryzen 2000 Series CPUs
Screen Capture from Amazon (25 March)

AMD’s next generation Ryzen 3000 series processors are rumored to release soon, as manufacturers start rolling out BIOS updates for X470 and X370 motherboards to support the newer Zen 2 CPU micro-architecture. At the same time, AMD slashes prices for its existing Ryzen processors on Amazon.



All Ryzen 2000 series CPUs are on sale on the store. They have a range of discounts from 5% up to 26%. The biggest deal would be the the Ryzen 7 2700, which drops from $299 USD (MSRP) to $219.99 USD (26% off). Combined it with a decent B450/X470 motherboards, you would be able to build a great 8-core, 16-thread machine, capable of handling both gaming and professional work. The Ryzen 5 2600X is also an awesome deal at $189.99 USD (24% off), if you need less CPU cores.

[table id=112 /]

It is still unclear that if this particular sale is temporary or to help clearing stocks before the Zen 2 processors release. It would be a great time to upgrade or build yourself an AMD-based computer with the discounted processors. But you should think quick and pull the trigger, before the sale expires or stock runs out.

Feel free to leave comments below, if you have any opinion about this website. Share the website around if you enjoy reading it. Subscribe to our Newsletter or follow our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Support this website simply by shopping in Amazon. It will give us small kickbacks, if you use the above affiliate links to make any purchases, which will help us grow.

Unboxing and Review of HyperX Cloud Flight Wireless Gaming Headset

HyperX Cloud Flight Wireless Gaming Headset

HyperX has become a reputable gaming brand in the market, which offers excellent quality yet affordable wired headsets for its customers. The Cloud Flight is the first wireless gaming headset from HyperX, that is aimed to provides best-in-class comfort and long-lasting battery life.



Unboxing

HyperX Cloud Flight Wireless Gaming Headset

The design of the packaging resembles other products from HyperX recently, with a white and red color scheme. A large photo of the Cloud Flight headset occupies most of the front area. A few standing features are mentioned, such as the 30-hour battery life and comfortable fit. The headset is also certified to work well on Discord or TeamSpeak.

Brief descriptions in various languages about the Cloud Flight are printed at the back. The headset is compatible with both PC, PS4 and PS4 Pro wirelessly, while Xbox One, Xbox One X and mobile devices can only be used with a wired connection.

HyperX Cloud Flight Wireless Gaming Headset

More detailed information about the Cloud Flight internal battery can be found on the side. The lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 1500 mAh and is not user-replaceable. With all LED off and 50% volume, the headset is claimed to have up to 30 hours of battery life.

HyperX Cloud Flight Wireless Gaming Headset

Inside the box, you will find a quick start guide, Thank You and support cards. There are a total of two included cables. One is a 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm cable (at 3.5 meters long), and the other is a micro USB to USB Type-A cable. The wireless USB receiver and the detachable microphone are included as well.

HyperX Cloud Flight Wireless Gaming Headset

HyperX Cloud Flight Wireless Gaming Headset

The Cloud Flight headset has a very simplistic and minimalistic approach in design. The outer shell is constructed with matte black plastic, with a little bit of red accent via the ear cups’ cables. The stealthy appearance would not draw too much unnecessary attention, when wearing the headset in public areas.

Ear cups at both sides can be rotated by 90 degrees, allowing you to lay the headset flat on the table or around your neck. It also provides a more snug fit around your ears.

HyperX Cloud Flight Wireless Gaming Headset

Most buttons and ports are located on the left side of the ear cup. You have the 3.5 mm microphone jack, micro USB charging port, 3.5 mm headphone jack and a power button. There is only a volume wheel on the right ear cup.

HyperX Cloud Flight Wireless Gaming Headset

There is no touch sensitive surface on the Cloud Flight headset, but you have a easy-to-press mute button on top of the left ear cup, which I find extremely useful if you do not have push-to-talk enable in software.

The HyperX logos on both ear cups have red LED lights on them, which can be set to on, off or breathing depending on your needs.

HyperX Cloud Flight Wireless Gaming Headset

The ear pad cushion is extremely soft and puffy, but still have enough thickness to avoid your ears hitting the headset’s drivers. The ear pads are not replaceable though.

HyperX Cloud Flight Wireless Gaming Headset

The frame of the headband is made from metal, which feels very solid and should be durable for years of use. The Cloud Flight’s headband provides up to 11 distinct adjustments for each side. There is a soft gel cushioning on top to prevent the headband from creating stress points on your head.

HyperX Cloud Flight Wireless Gaming Headset

The noise-cancelling microphone is detachable via a 3.5 mm audio connector. The shape of the plastic casing only allows the microphone to plug in the headset the right way. There is no pop filter included, unlike the Cloud, Cloud II and Cloud Alpha headsets. But you can still bend the arm to move the microphone to the desired location.

HyperX Cloud Flight Wireless Gaming Headset

The Cloud Flight headset operates through 2.4 GHz frequency radio wave in wireless mode, which requires the USB receiver on the other end (PC or console). The receiver is as big as a standard USB flash drive. With it, the headset can transmit both audio and mic input on PC, PS4 and PS4 Pro. However, if you connect the headset using the included 3.5 mm cable, you cannot have mic input on all platforms.



Review

Design

The mostly-plastic and plain design of the Cloud Flight may be the reason why it is surprisingly light, despite of the internal battery. It weights only 315 grams with the mic attached. The amount of adjustments for the headband and the swivel ear cups makes the headset very comfortable to wear and fit securely, even for a prolonged period. For me, I do not experience any issue with sweating, although the Cloud Flight is a closed-back headset.

The physical buttons are useful and easy to operate, especially the microphone mute button. It would be better if the volume wheel can have a finer control. I also like the ability to use the Cloud Flight in wired mode, in case the battery runs out, though the microphone will be disabled.

Features

The Cloud Flight only outputs 2.0 stereo sound. Headsets with similar price points, such as the Logitech G533 and SteelSeries Arctis 7 (2019), both feature DTS Headphone:X 7.1 virtual surround sound.

Also, there is no EQ adjustment available in the Ngenuity software, which would be great to have more customization.

Sound Quality

The Cloud Flight provides sound through its two large 50 mm neodymium drivers. It outputs reasonably high-quality sound for a gaming-oriented headset. Maximum volumes are loud enough for most users. The bass from Cloud Flight is powerful, while the mid-range and treble are pretty balanced. Voice lines and footsteps in games can be heard clearly and located precisely. The headset isolates outside environmental noise well enough, as far as a non-active noise-cancelling headphone.

Microphone Quality

The detachable noise-cancelling microphone is adequate to use for game chat. The overall audio quality is good, with clean voice over Discord. However, I think the background noise cancellation and compression are a bit too aggressive, which makes the audio be tinny sometimes. Overall, the mic can get the job done decently.

Wireless Range and Battery Life

The Cloud Flight has awesome wireless reception, which should be more than capable to handle normal day-to-day operation. With the USB receiver plugged in back of my PC, I am able to continue listening to audio without noticeable lag and interruption, while walking around the apartment.

Battery life is also above-average for the Cloud Flight, with a industry-leading 30 hours of usage. It will shorten to 18 hours or 13 hours if you turn the LEDs on. For me, I typically get about 2 to 2.5 days of mixed usage (watching YouTube videos and playing games). The NGenuity software shows users the battery percentage clearly, and reminds them to recharge the headset.

Conclusion

Unboxing Treatment Recommendation

The HyperX Cloud Flight Wireless Gaming Headset is a solid performer in both sound and microphone quality. Audio in games are crispy and clear. You should have no problem to locate the sound from your enemies. The headset itself is comfortable to wear and fit nicely around your ears, even for long gaming sessions.

Its biggest selling point is the incredible battery life, which should last for 30 hours without the LEDs on. Other wireless headsets in the market only have rated battery life around 15 hours to 20 hours.

The Cloud Flight comes with a 2-year warranty and has solid build quality. The headset is priced at $159.99 USD (MSRP) originally, but it is on sale for around $120 USD at the time of this review. If you mainly games on PC or PS4 consoles, the Cloud Flight would be an awesome choice to consider.

You can purchase the headset from your local/online resellers or the links below from Amazon or Newegg.


Thanks Kingston/HyperX for providing us the headset for review. (Review Sample)

Feel free to leave comments below, if you have any opinion about this website. Share the website around if you enjoy reading it. Subscribe to our Newsletter or follow our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Support this website simply by shopping in Amazon and Newegg. It will give us small kickbacks, if you use the above affiliate links to make any purchases, which will help us grow.

How to Install FreeNAS 11 (TrueNAS)

FreeNas 11

FreeNAS is one of the most popular open source software/operating system for Network-Attached Storage (NAS). It can let you transform an old computer into a useful private file server or media center in your home. In this guide, we will teach you how to install FreeNAS on your machine.

We have created a new guide for the latest TrueNAS CORE 12 installation.



Basic Requirements

At the very first, you will need to make sure your computer is meeting the minimum requirements for FreeNAS.

  • 64-bit Processor
  • 8 GB of RAM
  • A 8 GB boot drive
  • A hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD) for main storage
  • An Ethernet port

FreeNAS recommends to have at least 1 GB of RAM for each TB of storage. You should use ECC memory, if the data stored is mission-critical. USB flash drive, HDD or SSD can be used to be the boot drive. It is hard to use Wi-Fi for connection currently, as FreeNAS does not have official support for any Wireless NIC.

Also, you will have to prepare another USB flash drive (at least 1 GB) to hold the installation media for the OS.

  • Use Rufus or other utility software to make the USB flash drive bootable.
  • Download the FreeNAS ISO image from the official website
  • Run Rufus and select the correct USB drive

Installation Procedures

FreeNas 11

Once everything is ready, press “Delete” or “F2” to go into the BIOS of your motherboard. Visit the particular section for managing storage devices and boot priority. Move your bootable USB to the top (in this case the “TOSHIBA TransMemory”). You should also see your main storage drive and boot drive (“SanDisk”) in the menu. Then, press “F10” to save and restart the system.

FreeNas 11

Press “Enter” to boot the FreeNAS Installer. Select “Install/Upgrade” to proceed.

FreeNas 11

After that, you should see the option to choose the boot drive. Select the correct USB drive or SSD. Press “Yes” to continue the installation. You may be asked to enter the root password. The password will be used to log in to the graphical user interface (GUI) of FreeNAS.

FreeNas 11

Select to boot via UEFI, if you have a relatively modern machine. Otherwise, choose to boot in BIOS mode for legacy or enterprise hardware. Wait till the installation is completed. A prompt should appear and ask you to reboot the system.

FreeNas 11

You should see the configuration page on the monitor of the FreeNAS machine, which means the system is booted and operating correctly. You can change settings for the system right here, mostly about networking configurations. A IP address is also clearly stated at the page (in this case is 192.168.100.6).

Now, you can unplug the monitor from the FreeNAS computer. From the client devices in the same local network (192.168.100.x), whether is your desktop PC or laptop, open a web browser and enter 192.168.100.6. You should be able to access the FreeNAS GUI using the root user and password.

In the GUI, you can set up shared folders to store/transfer data between devices easily and conveniently.

Feel free to leave comments below, if you have any opinion about this website. Share the website around if you enjoy reading it. Subscribe to our Newsletter or follow our Google+, Facebook and Twitter.

Support this website simply by shopping in Amazon. It will give us small kickbacks, if you use the above affiliate links to make any purchases, which will help us grow.

Netgear Debuts New Wi-Fi 6 Compatible Nighthawk Router for $599.99 USD

Netgear Nighthawk Tri-band AX12 Router
Photo from Netgear

802.11ax or Wi-Fi 6 standard is slowly supported by mainstream manufacturers to provide next generation wireless network performance over existing 802.11 ac (Wi-Fi 5), such as the latest Samsung Galaxy S10. Netgear, a well-known networking equipment company, is expanding its lineup with the new Nighthawk Tri-band AX12 router for $599.99 USD (MSRP).



The Tri-band AX12 or codenamed RAX200 is the third Wi-Fi 6 compatible router from Netgear, after the AX8 (RAX80) and Dual-band AX12 (RAX120). The router will be using a total of twelve streams and three bands (2x 2.4 GHz + 1x 5 GHz) to transfer data, with a combined bandwidth of 10.8 Gbps. It is equipped with a 1.8 GHz quad-core processor to handle all the traffic.

The router does not skim on the wired connection either. It includes five gigabit Ethernet ports with support for link aggregation, as well as an additional 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port for high-bandwidth device.

The RAX200 router will be on sale in May 2019 for $599.99 USD (MSRP), and currently available for pre-order. You can get the RAX80 and RAX120 routers for cheaper, but with slower 6 Gbps overall speed, at $399.99 USD (MSRP) and $499.99 USD (MSRP) respectively.

Feel free to leave comments below, if you have any opinion about this website. Share the website around if you enjoy reading it. Subscribe to our Newsletter or follow our Google+, Facebook and Twitter.

Support this website simply by shopping in Amazon. It will give us small kickbacks, if you use the above affiliate links to make any purchases, which will help us grow.

Noctua Unveils New NH-U12A CPU Cooler

Noctua NH-U12A CPU Cooler
Photo from Noctua

Noctua’s NH-U12 is one of the best performing single-tower CPU coolers in the market, since its first release in 2005. Now, there is an updated version coming out, called NH-U12A, which will be the 5th generation of the series.



Compared to the existing NH-U12S cooler, the new NH-U12A has a total of 7 heatpipes and 37% more fin surface area. According to Noctua, the added cooling capacity and the inclusion of dual NF-A12x25 fans in push/pull configuration enable the NH-U12A to match or even exceed a 140 mm-class CPU cooler.

Noctua NH-U12A CPU Cooler
Photo from Noctua

Although the overall size of the new cooler increases, the RAM and PCIe slots compatibility for mainstream motherboards should be excellent, thanks to the asymmetric heatsink design. The height remains the same as the NH-U12S at 158 mm, which should be able to fit in most PC cases.

The NH-U12A is priced at $99.90 USD (MSRP). It can be purchased worldwide online now, and later in your local resellers. Stay tuned for our upcoming review of the cooler.

Feel free to leave comments below, if you have any opinion about this website. Share the website around if you enjoy reading it. Subscribe to our Newsletter or follow our Google+, Facebook and Twitter.

Support this website simply by shopping in Amazon. It will give us small kickbacks, if you use the above affiliate links to make any purchases, which will help us grow.

Follow Us on Social Media

583FansLike
635FollowersFollow
494FollowersFollow
1,494FollowersFollow
43SubscribersSubscribe

More Articles